What do you want Reseach & Development to work on?

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Most large companies have an R&D department to come up with improvements and innovations to keep their products current and up to date.

For me, it would be a simpler and more reliable way of stringing the dolls. Some new elastic that doesn't shred and keeps its elasticity longer and an easy way to tighten the joints without completely restringing the doll.

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Oh, I agree that a better way to restring would be nice. I am about to start on one of my big girls and am mentall preparing my fingers for the pain. >.<

I would like to see more comanies that offer replacement parts. Like, of course Luts has replacement hands, but feet, arms, legs, even torsos can have accidents and standard parts on the site would be nice! It is possible to get replacement parts from most companies, but sometimes you have to go through hell and back to get what you need.

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Better pose ability. If I can't get my dolls to stand or sit in a certain way, and they either collapse or snap back when I try (for more than 2 seconds, if that, anyway), I won't play with them much out of frustration and limited movement.

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First on my list would be improving the appearance of exposed joints. The knee joints and elbow joints in particular, since they are seen more than the other joints. The shoulders are already pretty nice IMO.

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Resin not yellowing from age, it's irritating that even dolls kept in their boxes will yellow over the years

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The Exact first thing I thought of when I saw the tittle to this thread was this Usagi.... Something to keep our precious Dolls from Yellowing.... I absolutely Detest Yellowing

And second would be replacment parts for EVERYTHING including Limited Dolls.... What if something were to happen to one of your gorgeous EXPENSIVE Limiteds, and you need his or her Head replaced That would be beyond amazing.
~Anthony

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-Face plates ! Unoa & Narin Doll face plates are awesome, it would be cool if more dolls had them.

-Better joints. Some companies are starting to come out with the double elbows and knees. They seem to work really well and add a great range of posability to our dolls!!! So... why haven't more companies adopted this yet?

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WEBSITE
1. It's not exactly the most browsable and intuitive vendor website around. There is no central navigation system, you can't change your password easily, you need to keep relogging on for some reason, etc. Even if they are the pioneers of modern ABJDs, I think they can look to the vendor websites of Luts, Customhouse, Dollmore, etc. for some pointers. That'll actually help them sell their products better.

2. I'm very sure that with the right web developers, FCS (Full Choice System) can be made available online. Imagine an interactive doll customization system that'll allow you to see the doll of your own design even before it has been made! I'm sure it's possible.

3. While overhauling their website, they might as well hire a couple of very good Japanese to English translators to spiffy up the website's text content.

PRODUCTS & SERVICES
1. They should make all doll parts available in their online store, with the possible exception of the heads. I'd like to be able to replace any worn down or broken parts without too much fuss.

2. Like the other doll manufacturers, they should be able to give the customer some sort of customization options for their standard dolls, however minor. A limited choice of eyes and wigs, type of hands (open, closed, grasping, etc.) and feet (normal, tabi, high heeled), the option of having eyes hot-glued or held with putty, would be enough. I'm not asking for a full-blown FCS, just a bit of choice.

3. I believe they'd be able to make even more revenue (and make potential doll owners happy) by also offering body blushing, manicure/pedicure, ear piercing, velcro for heads, etc. for newly-purchased dolls in their Sato-gaeri service. This is especially helpful for doll folk who wish to concentrate on the dressmaking and photography aspects of the hobby, so they won't have to do any actual resin modding or airbrushing themselves.

4. Doll poseability and flexibility can always be improved. Other companies are constantly making their dolls more poseable, and Volks should not slacken on that, either. I'm particularly happy that Volks dolls can stand and hold basic poses well enough without sueding, though.

5. Research into better materials to create the dolls should always be done. Pureskin is very good, but I'm sure it can be made stronger, more real-looking, etc. You never know, polyurethane resin might be replaced by another substance in the future...

6. Magnetic head caps, please. Also, they might as well put a barcode or a magnetic data strip on the plates in the back of their doll heads (and embed the plate in the resin, not just glue it on) so as to make it even harder for the opportunists to counterfeit the dolls.

Now despite the many, many things I want to change in Volks, what I don't want them ever to change are the very high standards they maintain for all their products and services, the warm and courteous e-mail customer support, their wonderful doll sculpts, and their overall passion for the hobby and craft (doll birthing ceremonies are testament to that). That's why I find it a tad difficult to choose a sister for Seionai outside the Volks lineup.

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I'm with the majority on the availability of replacement parts & even more range of movement for the joints but without compromising stability. My Ipplehouse girls & Lati Red Line boys have wonderful range of motion but it's next to impossible for me to get them to stand on their own. Their legs keep wanting to buckle or twist around.

Other than that, I like the general direction many companies are moving in with more realistic sculpts for both faces & bodies & would like to see even more of that especially with detailing the bodies. Also some more true ethnic faces. Ipplehouse is leading the way with Cocori & Aaron but I'd like to see some Hispanic & real Oriental sculpts as well with appropriate skintones.

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I second the motion for more ethnic diversity! There are all sorts of cultures and ethnicities and skintones--if Barbie can do it, so can ABJDs! XD

On a semi-related note, girls with more strength to them. A good majority of them look pretty, decorative, and completely harmless. I realise the doll's personality may be at odds with this, but come on! Girls with a more androgenous appeal. ;3 And obviously not-child bodies, without huge breasts. =_=;